Sheet-feeding mechanism



Marph 22 1927 :7 I w. M. KELLY SHEET FEEDING/MECHANISM Filed Oct. 24. 1923 4 Sheets-=-Sheet 1' v N g I w r a wuewtoz Marsh 22 1927. 1,62L788 W. M. KELLY SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM 4 Sheets=-Sheet 2 Snow/W07 w mwm 61 Maine 1927. March 22 W. M. KELLY SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM File 00' 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet gmmm Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,621,788 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. KELLY, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

SHEET-FEEDING MECHA ISM.

Application filed October 24, 1923. seriaiao. 10,59 I

conveyor mechanism which permits the sheets to be fed at high velocity to a point closely adjacent the impression cylinder and then comes'into action to cause the proper retardation to efi'ecta slow movement of the sheets against the drop guides.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings in which: i

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a sheet feeding and detainer mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fi 1.

Fig. {1 is a sectional view taken substan .tially on the line 41- 1 of Fig. 5, illustrating .a sheet detainer roller and'slow-down finger.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substan- "tially on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 isa detail sectional view illustrating the operating mechanism for the sheet retarding devices.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation on line 77 of Fig. 1 showing the cam which operates the sheet detainer rollers, and associated parts. i i

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detail views illustrating the initial, intermediate and final positions of the sheet retarding devices.

- mounting.

Fig. 14 is a front elevation of one of the I ournalled-in frame 1 and rotated by suitable Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are detail views illuse trating a sheet engaging brush and its front stops.

Referring to the drawings wh1ch illusirate one embodiment of the invention, 1 designates-the frame of any suitable automatic sheet feeding machine adapted to feed sheets singly from a pile 2, to and between a set of top and bottom conveyor-tapes, by which the sheetsare conveyed over the feed board 3.to the impression cylinder The top conyevor tapes and sheet retarding de-' suit sheets of different len ths.

The top tape pulley sliaft 14 is driven vicesfare mounted in a frame which. consists of side bars 5 and cross bars 6 and'7. The side bars 5 at the feeder end of" the frame are rigidly secured to brackets 8 which are rotatable on a. shaft 9 j ournaled in the frame of the feeding machine, whereby said pivoted frame may be ralsed from the feed board. Likewise the feed board is mounted for raising movement, being 'mounted on pivots 3 supported by the machine frame. The sheets are conveyed from the feeding machine between the lower reaches of a. pair of top tapes 11 and the upper reaches of=a I pair of bottom tapes 12. The top tapesjpass' over driving pulleys 13 fast on 'ashaft 141 and over idler pulleys 15 journaled in n standing arms 15*, which. are ,adjustab fixed on a rod 16 by. means of set screws 17, and from ulleys 15 the-tapes pass over ad ust1ng pul eys 18 and 19 journaledgin brackets 20 which are slidably mounted on I longitudinal rods 21, suitably supported by the conveyor frame, and which are adapted to be held in adjusted positions on theserods with the upper reaches of the 'bottom tapes may be ad usted through a wide range to from a shaft 23 by means of a large car 24 fast on shaft 9 and a relatively smal gear 25 fast OIl-Sllfifiilf. Shaft 14 is j'ournaled in the free ends of a pair of arms 26 which are fixed on a shaft 27 rotatable in brackets 28 which are screwed or otherwise fastened to cross rod 6., Gear 25 is urged in yielding engagement with gear 24 by means of coiled springs 29 (see Fig. 3) which act between perforated lugs projecting from arms 26 and brackets 28. The springs surround pins 30 which passthrough the perforated lug and are secured in the brackets 28.

. The bottom'tapes' 12 pass over pulleys 31 which are keyed on a transverse shaft 32 80.- by means of set screws 22, or the like. Thus the lengths of those portions .of the lower reaches of the top'. tapes "which cooperate over idler (pulley s33 journaled in the outer end of sai justable idlers board. I I

The sheet slow-down and detaining. de-

board, and thence pass .over ad- 34 mounted beneath the {feed vices proper are mounted in a pair of similar brackets 85 which are adjustable on cross bar? in both vertical and lateral di: rections. vReferring more particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, bracket 35'has a plane rear face 36 and is formed. with a depending lug or lip 37 which has a plane face spaced from face 36 the correct distance to effect a snug fit of bar 7 between said faces. The bracket is adapted to be clamped to bar 7 by means of a thumb screw 38 which is tapped through a hole in the bracket body and has its end abutting the side of bar 7. A delicate vertical adjustment of the bracket is obtained by means of a screw 39 which is tapped through a hole in the topof the its rear end by to each of the brackets and at its forbracket and has a disk-like foot '40 operating in a circular recess formed in the bracket and bearing on top of the bar 7. The diameter of foot 40 is relatively large, affording a wide bearing area on the bar. Slidably mounted in a longitudinal track recessed in the lower, or foot, portion, of the bracket is a slow-down finger 41, the finger being formed with laterally projecting flanges 41 along its upper edges and the trackway in the bracket being correspond-. ingly recessed, sothat the finger is accurately guided for straight line reciprocation. A'resilient top sheet guide 42 is secured at means such as screw 42 ward end is bifurcated to form two prongs 42 between which the slow-down finger reciprocates. The slow-down fingers also project through a notch 80 formed in the front stops 81, these front'stops being secured to a rock shaft 82 in a well-known manner; Vertical adjustment of the top guides 42 is obtained by means of a threaded pin 43 fixed to the bracket and passing through'a hole in .-:an intermediate portion of the guide, and a nut 44 on pin 43 adapted to engage the top of said guide, the bracket immediately and 10) thereunder being cut away to permit the vertical adjustment of the guide. Cooperating with each of the top guides 42 is a curved guide finger 45 which is mounted on a cross bar 46 supported and laterall adjustablebeneath the feed board (see igs. 3, 8, 9 These guide fingers extend up over the impression cylinder just clear of the beveled forward end of an extensions board 47 and project between the bifurcaof sockets in which is mamas secured thereto an upstanding arm. 57 connected by a link 58 to the lower end of an .arm 59. Arm 59 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 60 which is journaled in brackets 8, and carries a. roll which engages a cam 62 fast on shaft 9. Adjustably mounted on shaft 56 is a pair of brackets 63 adapted to .be fixed. in' adjusted position by means of thumb screws 64. Secured to the upper face of each bracket63 is an operating finger 65 formed of spring steel. These fingers project over and engage the tops of the stems of the sheet detainers and operate to depress said' detainers against the tension of springs 53' when shaft 56 is oscillated.

I The slow-down fingers 41 are operated in timed relation to the operation of the sheet detainers 51 by the following connections. Pivoted to the rearend of each fingel? is a link 66 (see Figs. '1 and 2) which is pivoted at its other end to an arm 67 fast on shaft 60. These arms are adapted to be. fixed in adjusted positions onshaft 60 ,by means of thumb screws 68. Shaft 60 is oscillated by the engagement of an arm 69 with a cam 70 fast on shaft 9, the upper end of said arm carrying a roller 69 which is held in engagement with the cam by a coil spring 71 secured at one end to .a depending arm 69 on the shaft 60, andat'its other end to a pin pro 'ecting inward] from the sidebar 5. y Each 1ink 66 has adjustably mounted thereon a bracket 72 which carries a brushholder" 73, these parts being more clearly shown in Figs. 11, 12 and 13'. The bracket 72 has a longitudinal groove or recess on its under side which receives the link 66 whereby said bracket may be adjusted lengthwise of the link to any desired position and clamped in such position by a screw 74. The brush-holder 73 is pivoted on a screw 75 carriedby bracket '72 and may swing freelv within the limits determined by screw. 74 and a lug 76 on the bracket." ,"The lower end of the brush-holderis Xed a pair'of goats hair brushes 77. This construction permits a limited angular play of the brushes and further provides a longitudinal adjustment of the brushes on links 66 to suit sheets of different lengths.

In the operation of the machine, the sheets are fed b the automatic feeder between the top and ottom conveyor tapes 11 and 12 provided with a pair and are conveyed thereby at high velocity to the slow-down fingers. The operating mechanisms are so timed that when the forward edge of a sheet is about to engage the shoulders 78 of the slow-down fingers the roller 69 on lever 69 is on the point of moving over the inclined portion a: of cam 7 0, which is rotating in a counter-clockwise direction, looking at Fi 6, andthe roller on lever 59 is engaging t 0 lower part ofcam' 62 per mitting link '58 to occupy the left hand end of its throw (looking at Fig. 1) in which position the operating fingers 65 are raised permitting'the detainer rolls 50 tobeheld up by springs 53. The positions of the slowdown fingers and rollers are as shown in Fig. Sat this time.

The roller 69 now travels down the in clined portion of cam 7 0 indicated at m (Fig. 6), and consequently the slow-down fingers are caused to travel in the same direction as the sheet is being fed, but at less velocity,

then travels down the inclined so that the sheet is slowed" down gradually,

the slow-down fingers coming to rest when the roller 69 travels on the portion 31 of the cam 70. The positions of the parts at'this time are indicated in Fig. 9. The roller 69 ortion z-"of cam 70 which causes the slowown fingers .to move from the position shown at Fig. 9to

, that shown in Fig. 10. While the slowis side-registered.

down fingers travel from the position shown in Fig.9 to that shown in Fig. 10, the sheet comes in contact with the front stops 81 and Thereafter, the front stops are raised and the sheet detainer rollers 51' are operated to engage the sheet and hold it while the gripper fingers on the impression cylinder withdraw the sheet from the feed board.

The adjustable pulleys 19 .are ositioned so that the sheet-will not be force forwardly by the tapes after it has engaged the slowdown fingers. Inother words, the portions of the tapes 11 adjacent the tapes 12 are adjusted, by movement of pulleys 19, to such lengths that the sheet will be properly advanced to the slow-down fingers.

The brushes 7 7 carried bythe links 66, are adapted to engage the rear marginal portion of the sheets and positively push the front edges thereof into engagement withv the front stops 81. It will be understood when the forward edge of the sheet engages the shoulders 78 of the slow-down fingers, it is in the throats formed between the top guides 42 and the guide fingers 45, so thatitcannot jump by said shoulders.

After the sheet. has been taken by th grippers of the impression cylinder, the

slow-down fingers are returnedto the posi tion shown in Fig. 8 by the inclined portion s of the cam operating on roller 69.

lit will be observed that the slow-down fingers, from the position shown in Fig.

move forward to the position shown in'Fig. 9, then pause, then move forwardly slightly to the position shown in Fig. 10, pause, and

finally are returned to the position shown in Fig. 8.

Although a specific embodiment of the in-- vention has been described in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not thus limited but includes modifications and changes which come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. Sheet feeding mechanism including in combination, a feed board, means to feed sheets along said board,-slow-down fingers at the delivery end of said board each having a shoulder, and means to move said finin position to be taken by said cylinder including sheet advancing means and slow down fingers adjacent. said cylinder, each having a shoulder, and means to move said fingers in the same direction as the sheet being fed when the forward edge of 'the sheet engages said shoulders butat less velocity than said sheet advancing means .to permit the sheets to engage said stops, then cause the fingers to pause, then to advance to carry said shoulders beyond the point where .they would. interfere with the cylinder taking the sheet, and then to return after the sheet has been taken by the cylinder, said' fingers reciprocating in a straight path.

'3. Sheet feeding mechanism including in i combination, a feed board, means to feed sheets, along said board, slow-down fingers at the delivery end of said board, and means to move said fingers in .the samedirection as the sheet being fed after the forward edge of the sheet engages said fingers, but at less velocity than said feeding means, then to cause said'fingers to pause, then to advance again and finally to be returned to their first position after the sheet ,hasbeen taken from the board, a roller sheet detainer,

and means moving said detainer into engagement with the sheet while it is being withdrawn fromsaid board. 1

d. A. mac 'ne' of the character described including incombination, mechanism adapted to operate on sheets, means to advance see heets to said mechanism, mean to vslow down said sheets prior to delivery to said I regular intervals in the same direction as the sheet but at less velocity than said sheet advancing means, then cause them to pause,

then to advance again and finally to be returned to their first position after the sheet has been taken by said mechanism and means to guide said fingers for reciprocation in a straight path.

5. A machine of the character described including in combination, mechanism adapted to operate on sheets, means to advance sheets to said mechanism, means to slow down said sheets prior to delivery to said mechanism including fingers in the path or" the forward edge of the sheet, means to move said fingers at regular intervals in the same direction as the sheet but at less velocity than said sheet advancing means, then cause them to pause, then to advance again and finally to be returned to their first position after the.sheet has been taken by mechanism, a sheet detainer, and means to move the same into engagement with the sheet while it is being taken by said mechanism.

6. Apparatus oi the character described including in combination, a feed board, a frame above said board and pivotally mounted t one end for raising movement, means to advance sheets along said frame, sheet slow down means carried by said frame and including a finger having a shoulder periodically moved in the direction of travel of the sheet but slower than said advancing means, said finger reciprocating in a straight path, and meansto actuate said slow down means arranged to be undisturbed by raising-said frame.

7. Apparatus of the character described including in combination, a cylinder, front stops, a pivoted feed board part, a pivoted frame part, means to advance sheets along said frame, an upper member carried by .one or said parts, a lower member carried of said devices by one of said parts, said members forming a throat into which the sheet is advanced and slowed down, and means independent ofsaid advancing means to feed the sheet furtherinto said throat and against said stops.

8. Apparatus of the character described including in combination, a feed board, a frame disposed above said board and pivotally mounted at one end for raising movement, means to advance sheets along said frame, a sheet slow down device and a separately operating, sheet detalner device, both eing carried by said frame, and means to actuate said devices arranged to be undisturbed by raising said frame.

ream/ea 9. Apparatus of the character described including in combination, a feed board, means to advance sheets along said board, a frame disposed over said board and pivotally mounted at one end for raising movement, sheet slow-down and detainer means carried by said frame and, means to actuate said slow-down and detainer means including a pair of cams, one for each means, mounted coaxial with the pivots of said frame.

10, Apparatus of the character described including in combination, a cylinder, front stops, sheet advancing means, a lower memher, an upper member forming with said lower member a throat into which the sheet is advanced and slowed down, and means independent of said advancing means to feed the. sheet further into said throat and against said stops. 4

ll. lin apparatus of the character described having a cylinder, front stops, a piv-v oted feed board, a pivoted frame, and means to advance sheets along said frame, the improved slow down device including a finger carried by said frame and against which the sheet is delivered and gradually slowed down by the reduced velocity of said finger, and means to actuate said finger, arranged to be undisturbed by raising said frame.

12. In a printing press, in combination, an impression cylinder, means to advance sheets to cylinder picking up position ineluding upper and lower devices, the upper being pivotally mounted for raising movement, separate sheet slow-down and detainer means carried by said upper device adapted to slow down the sheet as it approaches said picking up position, and means to actuate said slow-down and detainer means arranged to be undisturbed by raising said upper device. v

13. In sheet feeding mechanism for printing presses, sheet retarding means including in combination, laterally spaced brackets secured adjacent the front stops, slow-down fingers mounted in said brackets for reciprocation, sheet detaining rollers mounted in said brackets for up and down reciprocation, and means for reci rocating said fingers and rollers in time relation tp bring the rollers into engagement with the sheets subsequently to the slowing down thereof by the fingers.

14. lnsheet feeding mechanism for printing presses, sheet retarding means including in combination, laterally spaced brackets secured adjacent the front stops, slow-down fingers mounted in said brackets for reciprocation, sheet detainer devices mounted in said brackets for up and down reciprocation, and meansrfor reciprocating said fingers and devices in timed relation to bring the devices into engagement with the sheets subseresilient sheet guides mounted on said brackets and having bifurcated ends straddling said front stops, guide tongues secured beneath the feed board and extending up over the impression cylinder and between the bifurcations of said, guides, slow-down fingers mountedin saidbrackets and reciprocating over said tongues and between said bifurcations, sheet detainer rollers mounted in said brackets for up and down reciprocation, and

means for reciprocating said fingers and rollers in timed relation to bring the rollers 1 into engagement with the sheets subsequently to the slowing down thereof by the fingers. 1 g f 16. In sheet feeding mechanism for printing presses, sheet retarding means including in combination, laterally spaced brackets secured adjacent the front stops of the press, resilient sheet guides mounted. on said brackets and having bifurcated ends straddling said front stops, guide tongues secured beneath the feed board and extending over the impression cylinder and between the bifurcation of said guides, and slow-down fingers mounted in said brackets and reciprocating over said tongues and between said bifurcations. a

17. In sheet feeding mechanis'm'for printing presses, sheet retarding means including in combination, laterally spaced brackets mounted adjacent the front of the feed board, resilient sheet guides mounted on said brackets, guide tongues secured beneath the feed board and extending up over the impression cylinder and forming with said guides, sheet receiving throats, and slowdown fingers mounted in said brackets and reciprocating over said tongues.

18. In sheet feeding mechanism for printing presses, sheet retarding means including in combination, laterally spaced brackets mounted at the front of the feed board, re-

silient sheet guides mounted on said brackets, guide tongues secured beneath thefeed board and extending up over the impression cylinder and forming with said guides, sheet receiving throats, slow-down fingers mounted in said brackets and reciprocating over said tongues, sheet retarding devices mounted in said brackets for up and down reciprocation, and means for reciprocating said fingers and devices in timed relation to cause said devices to engage the sheets sub uently to the slowing down thereof by the ngers.

19. In sheet feeding mechanism for printing presses, a feed board secured between the impression cylinder of the press and suitable automatic sheet feeding mechanism, a

set of bottom conveyor tapes having their I upper runsoperating over and adjacent the upper surface of said board, a frame disposed over said feed board, a set oftop. conveyor tapes mounted in said frame and having their lower runs disposed over and close to the upper "runs of said bottom tapes, means for varying the extent of those portions of the lower runs of the top tapes which cooperate with the upper runs of the bottom ta pes, an extension board between said feed board and the impression cylinder, laterally spaced brackets mounted on said frame over said extension board, resilient sheet guides mounted on said brackets and having bifurcated ends straddling said front stops, guide tongues secured beneath the feed board and extending up over the impression cylinder and between the bifurcations of said resilient guides, slow-down fingers mounted in said brackets and reciprocating over said tongues and between said bifurcations, sheet detainer rollers mounted in said brackets for up and down reciprocation, and means for reciprocating said roller and fingers in timed relation to bring the rollers-into engagement with the sheets subsequently to the slowing down thereof by thefingers.

20. In sheet feeding mechanism, in combination, retarding mechanism comprising devices forlslowing down the sheets prior to delivery thereof, rollers'mounted for up and down reciprocation above the sheets, and

.means'for operating said devices and rollers in timed relation to cause the rollers to engage the sheets subsequently to the slowing down thereof by said devices.

21. In a. sheet feeding mechanism for printing presses, the combination of slowdown fingers mounted for reciprocation in the path of the sheets adjacent to the impression cylinder of the press with rollers mounted adjacent the fingers for up and down reciprocation above the path of the sheets, and means for reclprocating said rollers and fingers in timed relation to cause the rollers to engage the sheets subsequently to the slowing down thereof by the fingers.

22. In sheet feeding mechanism for printing presses, the combination of slow-down fingers disposedacross the path of the sheets and mounted for reciprocation in the path thereof, with devices mounted at the-sides of said fingers for up and down reciprocation above the path of the sheets, and means for reciprocating said devices and fingers in timed relation to, cause the devices to engage the sheets subsequently to the slowing down thereof by the fingers.

23. In mechanism for slowin down sheets prior to reception thereof by t e impression jacent the front steps, a bracket engaging said bar for vertical and lateral adjustment vthe side of said trackway, a slow-down finger mounted in said trackway, a stem having a roller mounted in the lower end thereof reciprocable in said bore, resilient means for holding said stem in raised position, a trans- .verse shaft mounted rearwardly of said frame bar, a bracket on said shaft adjustable longitudinally thereof, a finger on said bracket extending over the top of said stem and adapted to depress the latter against the action of said resilient means, and connections for reciprocating said finger and oscillating said'shaft in timed relation.

24. In mechanism for slowing down sheets prior to reception thereof by the impression cylinder of a printing press, a transverse frame bar extending over the impression cylinder adjacent the front stops, a bracket engaging said bar for vertical and lateral adjustment, a fine adjusting screw in said bracket having an enlarged foot resting on the to of said bar for vertical adjustment of the bracket, means for clamping the bracket on 'said bar in adjusted positions, said bracket having a longitudinal trackway and having a substantially vertical bore at the side of said trackway, a slow-down finger mounted in said trackway, a stem having a roller in the lower end thereof .reciprocable in said bore, resilient means for holding said stem in raised position, a resilient top sheet uide mounted on said bracket and having its free end bifurcated and straddling said finger, a transverse shaft mounted rearwardly of said frame bar, a bracket on said shaft adjustable longitudinally thereof, a fin er on said bracket extending over the top f said stem and adapted to depress the latter against the action of said resilient means, and connection for reciprocating said finger and oscillating said shaft in timed relation. 25., In sheet retarding mechanism for printing presses, a bracket mounted adjacent the front stops of the press, a slow-down finger mounted in said bracket for reciprocationin a path substantially aligned with said top, a link connected to the rear end of said finger, a bracket adjustable longitudinally on said link, and a sheet engaging brush mounted on said bracket.

' 26. In sheet retarding mechanism for printing presses, brackets mounted adjacent the front sto s of the press, slow-down fingers mounte in said brackets for reciprocation, links connected-to the rear ends of said fingers, brackets adjustable longitudinally on said links, brush holders on said last named brackets mounted for pivotal movement in vertical planes, and sheetengaging brushes mounted in said holders.

27. In sheet retarding mechanism for printing presses, slow-down fingers mounted for reciprocation in the path of the sheets, links connected to the rear ends of said fingers, and sheet engaging brushes mounted on saidlinks.

' 28. In sheet retarding mechanism for printing presses, slow-down fingers mounted for reciprocation in the path of the sheets, links connected to the rear ends of said fingers and extending substantially; parallel with the path of the sheets, brackets adjustable longitudinally on said links, brush holders on said brackets mounted for pivotal movement in vertical planes, and sheet engaging brushes mounted in said holders.

29. In mechanism for slowing down sheetsprior to reception thereof by the impression cylinder of a printing press, a-transverse frame barextending over the impression cylinder adjacent the front stops, a bracket supported by said bar and longitudinally and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, said bracket having a longitudinal trackway andhaving a substantially vertical bore ,at the slde of said trackway, a slow-down said bracket extending over the top of said stem and adapted todepress the latter against the action of said resilient means, and connections for reciprocating said finger and oscillating said shaft-in timed relation.

30. In sheet feeding mechanism for printing presses, a feed boardsecured between the impression cylinder of the press and suitable automatic-sheet feeding mechanisms, a set of bottom conveyor tapes having their upper runs operating over and adjacent the upper surface of said board, a frame disposed over said board, a set of top conveyor tapes mounted in said frame having their lower runs disposed over and close to the upper runs of said bottom tapes means for varying those portions of the lower runs of the.

top tapes which cooperate with the upper runs of said bottom tapes, laterally spaced brackets mounted on said frame over said board, slow-down fingers mounted in said brackets for reciprocation in the path of the sheets, operating means for said fingers comprising lmks connected to the rear ends thereof and extending over said board, and sheet 1,e21,7ee' v 7 engaging brushes mounted on said links down means carried by one of said devicesadapted to engage the rear edge of a sheet adapted to slow down the sheets as it ap- 10 7 after it has left said top conveyor tapes proaches said picking up position, and means 7 31, In a printing pressiincombination, an to actuate said slow-down means arranged 5 impression cylindenmeans to advance sheets to Toe-undisturbed by raising, said devices.

to cylinder picking'up position including upi In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my per and IOWBF-dYiCES bOth being pivotaliy signature. I, t mounted for raising movement, sheet slo'w- WILLIAM M. KELLY. 

